By Jan Carlo Anolin
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial is hoping he made the right decision to give Meralco and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel a long holiday break when the Governors’ Cup Finals kicks off with Game 1 on January 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial (MB photo | Rio Deluvio)
Along with the respective governors, Marcial decided to start the best-of-7 series in 2020 to give both teams ample time to rest and to ensure maximum and sustained excitement for the fans.
Marcial added that venues, such as the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay and the Big Dome in Quezon City, are also fully booked during the holiday season.
“Siyempre mas nakakaintindi sila. Mas alam nila – ng mga governors ko – [kaya] doon ako. Siyempre ‘di ba, para ‘di masira ‘yung momentum at pangalawa, nakapagpahinga sila,” Marcial told the Manila Bulletin in an interview Saturday. “[Sana] maha-hype ‘yun, sana hindi kami nagkamali.”
There will be both familiar and fresh faces when the two teams clash for the third time in the last four editions of the season-ending conference and Marcial expects nothing less but a good series.
Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee and Meralco’s Allen Durham (PBA Images)
Import rivalry between Meralco’s Allen Durham and Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee will heat up once again. But this time, Durham is backed by new additions like center Raymond Almazan, swingman Allein Maliksi and rookie forward Bong Quinto.
Stanley Pringle, meanwhile, will continue to add firepower for Ginebra while savoring his first Finals appearance in the league.
“Tignan natin kung kanino ang advantage sa pagkaka-reshuffle nga mga players,” Marcial said.
Marcial is confident that crowds will start to fill the venues in Game 2 when PBA brings the action to Quezon Convention Center in Lucena after building up momentum in Game 1.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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